Colorado hired the Georgia defensive coordinator as its football coach Wednesday after he helped rebuild the Bulldogs into a national contender. He wants to bring that same sort of swagger to Boulder.

Not down the road, either, but pronto.

"Colorado should be a 'no excuse' program," Tucker said in a statement. "There's absolutely no reason we can't achieve success at an extremely high level."

Tucker receives a five-year, $14.75 million contract under a deal that's pending approval from the board of regents. He starts immediately and won't coach Georgia in the Sugar Bowl against Texas on New Year's Day.

The 46-year-old Tucker replaces Mike MacIntyre, who was fired with a game remaining in the season and the team mired in a six-game skid. The Buffaloes lost their final game under interim coach Kurt Roper to miss a bowl berth for a second straight season.

After several stints as an NFL defensive coordinator, Tucker became an assistant head coach for Nick Saban at Alabama in 2015. He spent a season with the Crimson Tide — capturing a national title — before following coach Kirby Smart to Georgia to build a feisty defense. The Bulldogs lost to Alabama last weekend in the SEC championship contest and in overtime last season in the championship game.

Tucker has never been a head coach on the collegiate level, but has learned under some big names. He helped Ohio State and Jim Tressel to a national title as a defensive backs coach in 2002 and was brought on board by Saban on three different occasions.

"I've known Mel for well over 20 years and he is one of the brightest coaches in our profession," Saban said. "They are getting a guy with a great personality, who knows college football, works hard each and every day, and does it with a tremendous amount of enthusiasm and positive energy."

Tressel couldn't agree more.

"The Buffalo football family will thrive under Mel's leadership," he said. "A man with high expectations for himself and his student-athletes, Colorado football will enjoy a terrific recruiter, football strategist, and an 'all-in' member of the community."

This won't be the first time that Colorado has hired someone without any previous collegiate head coaching experience. Tucker joins a list that includes such names as Dal Ward (1948), Sonny Grandelius (1959), Eddie Crowder (1963), Bill McCartney (1982), Rick Neuheisel (1995) and Jon Embree (2011).

McCartney led the Buffaloes to a national title in 1990.

"If you go back last month when I talked about what I wanted in our next head coach, you'll find that Mel checks all those boxes," athletic director Rick George said. "He has great experience and a terrific pedigree. I like the way he coaches football, his toughness and accountability. Those are the things we were looking for."

On the pro level, Tucker has served as a defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns, Jacksonville Jaguars and Chicago Bears. He also was the interim head coach for Jacksonville over the final five games in 2011 after Jack Del Rio was fired.

"I'm excited, my family is excited and we've been associated with some very good programs, winning national championships at Ohio State and Alabama with a lot of success elsewhere along the way," said Tucker, who was a defensive back at Wisconsin under Barry Alvarez. "There's no reason we can't experience the same at Colorado. It is a sleeping giant."

Especially with some of the talent he has returning. Like receiver Laviska Shenault, who earned all-conference honors after 86 catches for 1,011 yards and six TDs despite missing a few games with a toe ailment. There's also quarterback Steven Montez, who threw for 2,849 yards.

The Buffaloes started off with five straight wins before going into a tailspin that ultimately cost MacIntyre his job. MacIntyre was voted AP college football coach of the year after leading the Buffaloes to a Pac-12 South title and 10 victories in 2016. That was his only winning season at Colorado.

"There's no learning curve with Mel. He's been in the business," George said. "We brought him here to win now, and I truly believe Mel will make us a winner next year."

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No. 1: Dave Aranda, LSU defensive coordinator: $2,500,000. A year after his salary was increased to $1.8 million, Texas A&M’s interest in Aranda prompted LSU to renegotiate his contract again, this time giving him a four-year deal that pays $2.5 million annually. In 2012, Utah State’s defensive coordinator, he was making $155,000. John Fisher, AP

No. 2: Brent Venables, Clemson defensive coordinator: $2,201,500. While LSU’s Dave Aranda is making more annually, Venables received a new contract this year that is set to have greater total value -- $11.6 million over five years. The deal also includes up to $100,000 a year in bonuses based on the team’s defensive statistical performance. Joshua S. Kelly, JUSA TODAY Sports

No. 3: Kevin Steele, Auburn defensive coordinator: $2,050,500. Steele made $1.2 million last season. A new, three-year contract signed in 2018 increased his basic annual pay to $1.8 million and kept from his prior contract a $250,000, one-time retention payment that became due at the end of the 2018 regular season – his third with the Tigers. His base annual pay is set to be $1.9 million in 2019 and $2 million in 2020. John Reed, USA TODAY Sports

No. 4: Mike Elko, Texas A&M defensive coordinator: $1,800,000. As of Dec. 3, Elko’s contract with Texas A&M was not available from the school, although his base salary and possible bonus amount were. In 2013, he was Bowling Green’s defensive coordinator, making $130,000. He accompanied Dave Clawson to Wake Forest, then moved to Notre Dame for the 2017 season. Matt Cashore, USA TODAY Sports

No. 5: Todd Orlando, Texas defensive coordinator: $1,710,000. Orlando accompanied head coach Tom Herman from Houston following the 2016 season. He was making $526,000 at Houston in 2016 and $1.1 million last season. In February 2018, Texas bumped his pay even higher. While at Utah State in 2014, he was making just under $215,000. John Gutierrez, USA TODAY Sports

No. 6: Jim Leavitt, Oregon defensive coordinator: $1,700,000. When Oregon head coach Willie Taggart left for Florida State after the 2017 season, the school promoted Mario Cristobal to the top job. But it also retained Leavitt – a former head coach at South Florida -- by giving him a $550,000 raise and a one-year extension through the 2021 season. Leavitt’s pay for this season was $800,000 less than Cristobal’s. In 2017, it was $1.75 million less than Taggart’s. Chris Pietsch, AP

No. 7 (tie): Mel Tucker, Georgia defensive coordinator: $1,500,000. Following the Bulldogs’ run to last season’s College Football Playoff title game, head coach Kirby Smart and most of his assistants got substantial raises. Tucker’s was by more than 75% over the $850,000 he made last season. Dale Zanine, USA TODAY Sports

No. 7 (tie): Greg Schiano, Ohio State defensive coordinator: $1,500,000. Schiano was one of the biggest beneficiaries of Ohio State making a huge increase in its payroll for assistant coaches. Through the 2017 season, the school never had paid an assistant coach more than $750,000 in annual salary, according to data collected by USA TODAY Sports that dates from 2009. Schiano -- a former college and NFL head coach who came close to getting Tennessee’s top job last winter -- received an $800,000 raise. Aaron Doster, USA TODAY Sports

No. 9: Pep Hamilton, Michigan passing game coordinator: $1,450,000. In his second year at Michigan after spending much of his coaching career as an NFL quarterbacks coach. His compensation total includes a $450,000 retention payment he received for being with the Wolverines on April 1, 2018. He’s scheduled to get a $250,000 payment in April 2019 while his base salary will remain at $1 million. Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports

No. 10: Todd Grantham, Florida defensive coordinator: $1,401,500. A former NFL assistant, he moved with Dan Mullen from Mississippi State after last season and is now at his third SEC school this decade. He also worked at Georgia from 2010 through 2013. Before Mississippi State, he was at Louisville, which paid him $1.3 million in 2015 and 2016. Kim Klement, USA TODAY Sports

No. 11: Don Brown, Michigan defensive coordinator: $1,300,000. He is completing the second year of a five-year contract and got $300,000 of his total from a retention payment last April. That payment is scheduled to increase to $400,000 in 2019, and his total annual pay is set to remain at $1.4 million for the rest of his deal. Kirthmon F. Dozier, USA TODAY Network

No. 12: Tyson Helton, Tennessee offensive coordinator: $1,205,000. After working with his brother, Clay, at Southern California for two seasons, Helton moved to Tennessee. But it will be a one-season stopover. He has been hired as Western Kentucky’s head coach. He was a Hilltoppers assistant in 2014 and 2015. In the second of those seasons, he was making $150,000. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel NF

No. 13 (tie): Mike Locksley, Alabama offensive coordinator: $1,200,000. Nick Saban promoted him to offensive coordinator after Brian Daboll left for an NFL job. That resulted in a doubling of his pay, but Locksley is now moving on to his second college head coaching job, this one at Maryland. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 (tie): Ryan Day, Ohio State offensive coordinator: $1,200,000. Day’s total does not include the $487,000 in additional compensation he received for serving as interim head coach while Urban Meyer was suspended by the school early this season. Day’s total does include the $200,000 retention payment he was set to receive at the end of January 2019 – but that’s academic now. He’s again taking over for Meyer, who is retiring. Rick Osentoski, USA TODAY Sports

No. 13 (tie): Travaris Robinson, South Carolina defensive coordinator: $1,200,000. When Gamecocks head coach Will Muschamp received a new contract and a raise after last season, so did Robinson, who was making $750,000 last season. Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports

No. 16: Alex Grinch, Ohio State co-defensive coordinator: $1,158,938. Grinch left Washington State to join the Buckeyes after last season – and got a $200,000 raise. He also received a $358,938 lump sum that Ohio State terms a signing bonus, but was likely connected to the $250,000 buyout he owed Washington State. Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire, AP

No. 17: Chip Lindsey, Auburn offensive coordinator: $1,100,500. In 2010, Lindsey made less than $80,000 as an assistant at Troy. By 2016, he was making $650,000 at Arizona State. He moved on to Auburn in 2017, initially had success but then ran into problems. Next season, he will be on Les Miles’ new staff at Kansas. Todd J. Van Emst, AP

No. 18: Jimmy Lake, Washington defensive coordinator: $1,100,004. After the 2017 season, Lake received attention from a number of schools seeking a defensive coordinator. But Chris Petersen held on to him by promoting him from co-defensive coordinator (it helped that Pete Kwiatkowski was willing to give up defensive play-calling) and giving him a $450,000 raise a year after he’d gotten a $150,000 increase. Elaine Thompson, AP

No. 19 (tie): Tosh Lupoi, Alabama defensive coordinator: $1,100,000. Long known for how well he recruits, Lupoi was put in charge of the Crimson Tide’s defense after Jeremy Pruitt departed to become Tennessee’s head coach. He made $425,000 at Alabama in 2015; $550,000 in 2016 and $950,000 last season, when he was the team’s linebackers coach and getting paid more than at least 40 Bowl Subdivision head coaches. Mark J. Rebilas, USA TODAY Sports

No. 19 (tie): Wesley McGriff, Mississippi defensive coordinator: $1,100,000. McGriff began a new three-year contract last February and ended up getting fired just after the end of Mississippi’s regular season. Under the agreement’s terms, he will be owed about $2.6 million in buyout money. Bruce Newman, AP

No. 21: Harlon Barnett, Florida State defensive coordinator: $1,005,000. He had been at Michigan State since 2007, and was a co-defensive coordinator making about $450,000 last season when Willie Taggart hired him away for the Seminoles. Logan Stanford/Icon Sportswire, AP